Freestanding collapsible shelters, shelters that, when fully deployed, can stand upright on their own without being attached to an object that anchors the shelter in place, are often used in recreational settings to obtain relief from the sun and/or weather. Typically, such shelters have some type of framing that, when deployed, configures a canopy that provides the protection sought. Some important considerations for these shelters is their ability to be deployed quickly, as well as their being lightweight and compact when collapsed.
One type of such shelter relies on pole segments that are strung together by elastic cords running through channels in the poles to serve as its framing. The segments in each pole alternate between those that have sleeves at each end and those that do not. To deploy the shelter, the poles are first assembled by inserting the ends of the sleeveless poles into the sleeves on the subsequent poles. The elasticity of the cords running through the pole segments hold the segments together during assembly. Once the poles are assembled, they are inserted through sleeves located in the top portion of the shelter canopy. Each end of a pole protruding from its respective sleeve is then forced into a pocket located on the bottom corner or side edge of the shelter. Once each end of a pole is tucked into its corresponding pocket, the pole bows and the resulting tension of each pole against its respective sleeve forces the overall frame to maintain an upright position, forming the configuration of the deployed shelter.
This type of shelter has several disadvantages. First, deploying this type of shelter can be a time consuming process that typically requires setup via two people instead of one. Second, should the cords be cut or come apart, the tent or shelter cannot be assembled. Also, over time, the cords gradually lose their elasticity so that the pole segments are not held together as well. These shelters typically also have a dome shaped-canopy, which limits the amount of available head space compared to a gabled or double pitched canopy. Because a dome-shaped canopy provides a circular- or oval-shaped area of protection underneath the canopy, the area of coverage protection cannot be utilized as efficiently as with a rectangular- or square-shaped area with the same amount of square footage as would be provided with a gabled or double pitched canopy. Because the design of these shelters relies on the canopy sleeves to hold the shelter poles in place and to maintain the configuration of the frame when deployed, the sleeves and canopy must run the entire length of the poles so that the shelter is typically a tent. This is not ideal in settings such as the beach, where the user merely wants shade, the ability to see their surroundings, and the ability to enter and exit from underneath the shelter easily.
Other shelters similarly utilize a tension effect caused by the bowing of the shelter's frame in the canopy to force the shelter into its deployed configuration. In these shelters, the framing is fairly flexible and sown into the canopy. The shelter is collapsed by reorienting and folding it to flatten the overall configuration of the shelter. However, due to the flexibility needed for the shelter's frame, such shelters tend to be small because the frame cannot be sufficiently rigid to support itself and the shelter canopy. These shelters typically can only be used by one to two people at the most and have a minimal height so that the user cannot stand up within the shelter or place a chair or chaise lounge therein.
Other shelters have configurations that are similar to umbrellas. The shelters, however, are not truly freestanding because they rely on an anchor pole forced into the ground. Such shelters also suffer from the limitation that there is less head space compared to a shelter with gabled or doubled pitched canopy.
Other collapsible freestanding shelters rely on a series of segments that are pivotally linked in an x configuration. When the shelter is set up, the segments are extended in a scissor like manner. When the shelter is folded, the segments are retracted. This type of shelter suffers from several disadvantages. For example, the series of X-linked segments weighs more than a straight pole, rod, or strut used to connect the legs and roof frame of the shelter. In addition, the use of the x-linked segments adds to the bulkiness of the unit when collapsed.
Other shelters achieve a high degree of compactness when folded, but are not freestanding and ropes have to be attached to the shelter and an immovable object like a stake in the ground.
It would be desirable to provide a freestanding, collapsible shelter that can be quickly deployed by one person to obtain shade or protection from the elements in recreational settings. It would also be desirable to provide a shelter capable of being collapsed quickly into a compact, lightweight unit for storage.